Electric shower cable bend!

[cardob00]

Hello.

I have what seems like a pretty basic electric question.

I'm replacing an electric shower 8.5kw and the terminal block is slightly lowerthan the last and hence have excess cable. Now I know that I should probably trim the excess but incase I ever replace the shower again I would rather keep the slight excess. It's not easy to pull the cable from behind the shower which is in the loft.

So the excess has caused a bend in the cable. I'd like to know if this bend is to excessive and likely to cause problems eg heating up or melting over time.

Hopefully the picture is clear.

Untitled

• cardob00
• 11 Nov 2013
• 2

Please don't shoot me down. .. this is a DIY forum and have asked the question just in case.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Lectrician]

Its fine.

 

[cardob00]

Really? So over time this isn't too much. Think this is 10mm so was worried about melting due to the kink?

Is this something I should check after a month and if so what should I look out for. .. apart from an obv scorched cable or sign of splitting sheath?

 

[Lectrician]

It's 6mm.

It's fine.

 

[ivixor]

I sometimes am surprised that electric showers are at all permitted.

Fancy showering with a bit of silicone (at best) in between you and 40+ amps? I don't...

 

[cardob00]

Thanks Lectrician.

Ivixor not sure what exactly your trying to say apart from don't use an electric shower? I do see what your saying though water and electricity are not a match made in heaven eh!

 

[Adam_151]

Is this something I should check after a month and if so what should I look out for. .. apart from an obv scorched cable or sign of splitting sheath?

While you could check for terminal tightness after a few heating/cooling cycles, it is unlikely to be neccessary as long as the terminal has been correctly done up to start with (Tighten, then wiggle the conductor to allow the strands to settle a little as well as check its actually gripped and then re-tighten, but don't completely murder the connection up)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fancy showering with a bit of silicone (at best) in between you and 40+ amps? I don't...

Why not?

What do you think might happen?

What does "a bit of silicone (at best) in between you and 40+ amps" mean? Where is this silicone?

What's the current drawn by the shower got to do with it?

 

[JohnW2]

I sometimes am surprised that electric showers are at all permitted. ... Fancy showering with a bit of silicone (at best) in between you and 40+ amps? I don't...

As I've observed before, I have to say that I was very shocked the first time I saw an electric shower with the cover off. I had previously imagined (or assumed) that there would be all sorts of clever and sophisticated separation of electricity, water and the outside world - which is not quite what I saw! It's not the amps, but the volts which matter to me - and I'm not quite sure what silicone you're talking about - but I was nevertheless surprised and shocked!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Johnmelad]

I sometimes am surprised that electric showers are at all permitted.

Fancy showering with a bit of silicone (at best) in between you and 40+ amps? I don't...

Do you mean the silicone that you sometimes see around the rear of the shower unit and the wall or tiles?

If so, that silicone should not be there in the first place.

1.7 The Mira Advance ATL must be fi tted onto the fi nished wall surface i.e. on top of
the tiles. Do not block the air ventilation gaps around the sides of the unit, either
by tiling up to the sides of the unit or by using a sealant around the case (Small
pillars moulded on to the back of the case allow air circulation). The appliance
is designed to be ventilated. Failure to do this may cause product failure.